CHILLICOTHE — An uncounted number of entrants of an endurance run scheduled for Sept. 29 at Three Sisters Park won’t receive a refund of their entrance fees, ranging from about $40 a person to more than $100, after the event was abruptly and impersonally canceled Wednesday afternoon.

The four-mile endurance event, called Hard Charge, raised more than $3,500 for the Children’s Hospital of Illinois in its inaugural, and apparently final, offering in Chillicothe in 2013. The business donated $1 from each participant’s fee to the hospital and individuals and teams raised additional money through sponsorships.

In an email sent to some entrants and on its website, Hard Charge wrote it was ceasing all business operations and that all current and future events are canceled. Further: “Due to our current financial situation Hard Charge is unable to provide refunds to any athlete who has registered for an event.”

Hard Charge operated similar obstacle courses across the country, some of which were televised.

A statement released by the Children’s Hospital of Illinois says it is working quickly to determine its next steps and any potential for refunds. The statement then thanks all the registered racers who supported the nation’s children’s hospitals.

Bob and Joy Clauson of Morton formed a team of 40 participants to raise money to honor their newborn son, Jacob, who died in May after living 21 days in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital. They also wanted to raise awareness of the illness Jacob was born with and of the extraordinary care they said they received at the hospital.

“We were scrambling looking for ways to fill this huge new void in our lives,” Clauson said Thursday. “Organizing Team Jacob gave us something to do to honor our son, and because Children’s Hospital is so near and dear to our hearts, let people know what an amazing job they do. We’d do just about anything to raise money for them.”

Clauson called the cancellation of Hard Charge “heartbreaking.”

“We’ll find some other way to do fundraising,” Clauson said. “I just hope people can get their money back.”

Olivia and Nicholas Mason of Metamora participated in last year’s event, and enjoyed it so much they immediately signed up for the event this September. They bought a pair of entry tickets for about $50 each that included an additional $10 parking fee.

“I was angry,” Olivia Mason said Thursday after learning by email of the event’s cancellation. “More for the money not going to the kids and the hospital than for missing out on the money or the race.”

Page 2 of 2 - She thought she wouldn’t pursue trying to get her money back through her credit card company for a charge that was likely transacted months ago.

“We’d probably end up spending more money than we lost,” she said.

Three Sisters Park learned of the cancellation just like everybody else — by the group’s form email.

“Our biggest impact is the loss of the rental and possibly good will by the no return of entry fees,” said Chris Cassidy, manager of the park. “I personally know a few people that have paid, and they are understandably upset. Unfortunately, we had nothing to do with the registration or the fees, so there is nothing we can do.”

Individuals who purchased a $39.95 Daily Deal offer for the race through the Journal Star will get a Daily Deal credit. The offer ran from June 11 to June 23.

Scott Hilyard can be reached at 686-3244 or by email at shilyard@pjstar.com. Follow @scotthilyard on Twitter. Adam Duvall contributed to this story.